Malignancy in adult dermatomyositis.
BACKGROUND
Dermatomyositis has been reported to be associated with malignancies in 15%-34% of patients in Western countries, but in as many as two-thirds of patients in Singapore. The aim of this study was to determine whether a diagnostic measure could be helpful in the diagnosis of a malignancy in patients with dermatomyositis.


METHODS
This is a retrospective study on 38 adult patients with dermatomyositis that were seen over a 6-year period from 1989 to 1994.


RESULTS
All the patients presented with cutaneous features that suggest the clinical diagnosis of dermatomyositis; however, not all cases show all the key features of the disease. Of the studied patients, 86.8% were noted to have photosensitivity as a key cutaneous presentation. Thirty (78.9%) of our patients were above the age of 40 years, and 12 (31.6%) of these were found to have an associated malignancy. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma was the most commonly associated malignancy (38.4%) in our study population.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study population, otorhinolaryngologic screening is an essential investigation for the evaluation of dermatomyositis in association with malignancy.
Leow
Y H
YH
National Skin Centre, Singapore.
Goh
C L
CL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology